The practice sessions for the CARS Tour’s inaugural event provided familiar faces atop the charts, as two of the top three finishers in the last Late Model Stock race at Southern National Motorsports Park posted the two fastest times of the day in the 36-car field.
Todd Gilliland posted the fastest time of either practice session, lapping the 0.400 mile oval in 15.592 seconds during the second practice. However, the second-place finisher in last year’s Autumn Classic is aware that the surface will be very different by the time the green flag drops on the 150-lap Late Model Stock race.
“This track is very temperature-sensitive,” said Gilliland. “The race will go faster, but some people are going to save their tires. That’s going to be us, wait in the back, when it’s time to go, we’ll go and lead the last couple of laps.”
Four-time Southern National Motorsports Park track champion Jamey Caudill echoed the sentiments, noting he was cautious about making adjustments after setting the second-fastest time in practice (15.603 seconds). The final practice session ended before 1:45 pm, but it will be much cooler when the Late Model Stock 150-lap race takes place under the lights.
“It’s going to be so different tonight. It’s going to be late, really cold, the track’s going to be different,” said Caudill. “We feel like we need to work on the car to make it a little bit, but we’re kind of scared to because the track will be so different tonight.”
The CARS Tour has drawn a list of the best Late Model Stock racers in the region to the inaugural event, placing the younger Gilliland in an all-star field loaded with track time and talent.
“It’s really nerve-racking knowing all the people that are here and the experience here,” said Gilliland. “You have to carry yourself well and earn their respect.”
Caudill noted that despite his vast experience at the Lucama, N.C. speedway, the star-studded field and a different tire for the CARS Tour will level the playing field.
“We know how to get around the race track, but it doesn’t take long for guys to learn,” said Caudill. “It’s a new tire for everybody, so that kind of equals everything up. It’s a learning curve for everybody.”
